Book, chart, and reference holder



June 4, 1935.

F. E. HEADINGTON BOOK,

CHART, AND REFERENCE HOLDER Filed June 1, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l r I M I. u l i. 7/ 4 5 x I 7 \\\t N lllllllll r 1 1 June 4, 1935. I E. HEADINGTON 2,003,746

BOOK, CHART, AND REFERENCE HOLDER Filed June 1, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 4, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

2,003,746 Y 7 BOOI CHART, AND REFERENCE HOLDER Florence E. Headington,1 Iowa City, Iowa Application June 1, 1934,;lSerial No; 728,604 1 Claim. 01. 4580) The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in holders for books, charts, and references, and has for its primary object to render easier and more pleasant, and thereby encourage the reading and studying of books, charts, references, etc. I 7

Another important object of the invention is to provide a holder of the aforementioned character which may be expeditiously adjusted to the desired position for the individual user, thus greatly eliminating eye strain and shoulder stooping.

Still another important object of the invention.

is to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a book, chart and reference holder of the character described which 7 is adapted to be mounted for use on various supports, such as tables, stands or across the arms of a chair.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a holder of the character set forth which will be comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, efficient and reliable in use, compact, light in weight, attractive in appearance and which may be manufactured at low cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:-

Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a holder constructed in accordance with the present invention, showing reading and. reference books mounted thereon.

Figure 2 is a rear perspective view, showing the holder in open or operative position.

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view, showing one of the slidable supports in extended position.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view in vertical section, taken substantially on the line 44 of Figure 2.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the embodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comprises what will be hereinafter referred to as a container which is designated generally by the reference numeral i, said container being of any suitable material and dimensions and including a bottom 2, a rear wall 3 and side walls 4 the upper edges of which, it will be noted, are inclined.

Mounted for swinging movement in a vertical plane on the forward portion of the bottom 2, as by hinges 5, is a platform 6 having mounted on its hinged edge a book supporting ledge I.

When in closed position the platform 6 rests on the upper edges of the rear wall 3 and the side walls 4 of'the container I. The platform 6 is supported in adjusted position through the medium of a brace 'l which is hingedly mounted, as at 8, on the bottom} of the container I, said brace being operatively engageable with a ratchet bar 9 which is mounted on the lower side of the platform 6. The brace I has formed therein a longitudinal slot II) which slidably receives a guide II on the ratchet bar 9.

Slidably and rotatably mounted in guides I2 on the lower side of the platform 6 are angular, resilient clamps i3 which, as illustrated to advantage in Figure 1 of the drawings, are adapted to secure a book I4 in open position on said platform 6. It will be noted that certain of the clamps l3 are engageable with the upper portion of the book I4 and that the remaining clamps [3 are adapted to engage the side portions of said book. As best seen in Figure 2 of the drawings, headed pins l5 are provided on the lower side of the platform 6 for retaining certain of the clamps l3 in retracted or inoperative position in a manner to prevent rattling thereof. The clamps l3 are adapted to be flexed and engaged behind the headed pins l5, thus putting said clamps under tension and frictionally securing the same in inoperative position. If desired or necessary, the

elements !5 may be provided for all of the clamps.

Suitable stops it may also be provided on the inner ends of the clamps l3 for preventing complete withdrawal of said clamps from their guides l2.

The reference numeral l1 designates a reference book holder which is also slidably mounted on the lower side of the platform 6, said reference book holder being adapted to project beyond the free end of said platform in the manner shown to advantage in Figure 1 of the drawings. The niuneral l8 designates a reference book mounted in the holder H. The reference book holder H is preferably formed from a single length of suitable resilient wire formed to provide a substantially U-shaped support IS the legs of which are reversed or bent upon themselves in a manner to provide resilient fingers 20 which are slidable in guides 2! provided therefor on the lower side of the platform 5 and which are engageable with the reference book for holding said reference book in open position on the support Hi. In other words, the reference book is clamped between the portions I 9 and 20 of the holder I I.

Mounted for transverse sliding movement in guides 22 beneath the bottom 2 of the container l are wings 23 which are adapted to support the device over and between the arms of a chair. The lower faces of the supporting wings 23 have mounted thereon sheets 24 of felt or other suitable material to prevent damage to the chair arms. Projecting laterally from the inner end portions of the supporting wings 23 are stops 25 which are engageable with the guides 22 for preventing detachment of said supporting wings. The inner ends of the supporting wings 23 are engageable with a centrally located stop 26. In their outer portions, the supporting wings 23 are provided with finger receiving recesses 21 which facilitate sliding said supporting wings to extended or operative position. Also mounted beneath the bottom 2 of the container I are pads 28 which prevent damage to a table, stand or the like when the device is mounted thereon. The reference numeral 29 designates a trough in the container t for the reception of pencils, pens and other articles.

It is believed that the manner of using the holder will be readily apparent from a consideration of the foregoing. The book being read or studied is placed in open position on the plat form 6 and the said platform is, of course, adjusted to the desired position where it is supported by the brace l. The clamps 13 are then withdrawn from beneath the platform 6 and engaged with the book in the manner shown in Figure 1 of the drawings for securing said book in open position, as hereinbefore explained. When a reference book is to be used the holder I1 is slid to operative position from beneath the platform 6 for receiving said reference book. When it is desired to swing the platform 8 to closed position on the container I it is only necessary to disengage the brace 1 from the ratchet bar 9, as will be obvious. As will also be readily apparent, the platform 6 constitutes a closure for the container 1 when said platform is in lowered position. The container i may be utilized for the reception of various articles if desired.

It is believed that the many advantages of a book, chart and reference holder constructed in accordance with the present invention will be readily understood, and although a preferred embodiment of the invention is as illustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to which will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

A holder of the class described comprising a supporting structure, a platform hingedly mounted for swinging adjustment on the supporting structure, means for supporting the platform in adjusted position, and means for supporting a reference book in open position on the free end of the platform, the last-named means including guides mounted beneath the platform, and a holder mounted in the guides, said holder being formed from a single piece of resilient material including a substantially U-shaped supporting portion, the legs of said supporting portion being bent upon themselves in a manner to provide resilient retaining fingers, said fingers substantially paralleling the legs of said supporting portion and being slidably engaged in the guides.

FLORENCE E. HEADINGTON. 

